Artificial light sources, such as incandescent light bulbs, burn inefficiently, sometimes with only 10% efficiency, consuming excess power and generating waste heat. Further, these devices have limited service lives.
Other light sources such as fluorescent tubes and/or CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) contain mercury and are hazardous to our environment.
Emerging light sources including light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) address many of the efficacy and life issues but currently are expensive to manufacture and have form factors that are not appealing to the consumers. What is needed is a new way to mass produce solid state lighting modules that can be produced inexpensively and meet the needs of both commercial and residential consumers. Devices that generate less heat, last longer, and are friendly to the environment.